If you find that you are unable to work for the number of hours you did previously, or if the price of doing shift work is finally starting to affect your health, you could be experiencing shift work sleep disorder or SWSD. This condition might mean that you are more and more drowsy through the daytime but unable to sleep while fighting the urge to sleep on the job when working the night shift. Here are some things that you can do in order to treat the symptoms.
The most obvious cure is to try to alter your work schedule to hours that are more sociable. By working at night, you are upsetting your body’s inner clock, termed the circadian rhythm, which regulates itself with the rising and setting of the sun to know when it is time to wake and sleep respectively. Shift work pushes your body into an unnatural state of working when it should be asleep and sleeping when it would ordinarily be awake. This is the reason that you feel drowsy during the night and then cannot fall asleep during the day even though you are very tired. Consequently, if feasible, it is in your best interests to have a chat with your work supervisor to see if shift changes can be made.
Here are some sleep strategies for shift workers that you may like to try. If you are unable to alter your working schedule, there are several other actions you can take to minimize the effects on your body. When you are working, avoid drinking the likes of tea, coffee and other caffeinated drinks to keep yourself awake. Even though the caffeine can work as a stimulant to some folks, the effects are short lived and you will in all probability feel even more tired and lethargic after the original buzz has worn off. Caffeine in addition dries the airways, which could lead to sleep apnea syndrome and snoring when you eventually try getting some sleep. As an substitute, try to drink natural fruit crushes or even plain water. In addition, ask your physician about any natural supplements you could take while working to keep yourself alert.
Shift work sleep disorder may additionally mean that you are sleepy during the day, even if you use this time for rest before your shift. If you have narcolepsy, which is thought to be caused by the brains inability to adapt to natural sleep wake cycles, you may notice that you are doing things without remembering, or having vivid daydreams while you are not in sleep mode. Your body may also be in a slight state of paralysis when you are trying to waken, which is an indicator that shift work sleep disorder may be your problem.
If your sleep problems are on-going, you should have a chat with your doctor, who may ask you to maintain a sleep diary, and to write down any patterns that you see or experience when you are feeling sleepy. You will in addition need to keep yourself on a normal sleep schedule, so that your body will develop a rhythm for resting. In some cases, medications such as Ritalin might be prescribed. If you think this may be your better alternative, talk to your doctor about the recommended dosage for you, based upon the severity of your symptoms. Bear in mind that stimulants do have side effects, so if you find that your blood pressure has gone up or you are more grouchy, you might want to investigate different options for dealing with your shift work sleep disorder.